Nighthawk
by WyRebel
Summary: A new hero comes to Gotham in more ways than one.
1. Default Chapter

NightHawk  
  
Summery: Your just going to have to read it.  
  
Acknowledgements: I told you I was blaming this whole mess on you Marcy, and I'm nothing if not a man of my word. On a side note my universe is a little wacked since I don't get to read many comics so most of what I am relying on comes from right here. If I tread on anyones toes please tell me and I'll be glad to fix it anyway I can.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
This is my first fic, so do your best to be nice, feedback would rock  
  
Copyright: March, 2004  
  
Disclaimer: Michael Miller and Nighthawk are mine, all mine and I don't have to share if I don't wanna. Everyone else belongs to DC Comics. Don't sue me cause it'll just be practice.  
  
April 25 2004  
  
Sitting in a large office on the 39th floor of the Wayne Tower, Michael Miller sat tapping his foot nervously. The draft had already started and the young QB hero from gotham state was just minutes from fulfilling his second biggest dream to play for the Gotham Knights, a dream he'd had since he was a young boy. This dream was made all the more real when he met his best friend Richard "Dick" Grayson, ward of the owner Gotham Knights, Billionaire Bruce Wayne. His biggest dream had already came true, flying with the Urban Legend Batman covering for his friend as Robin when he left to go to college at Empire State.  
  
Bruce Wayne sat across the table from him hiding a thin layer of annoyance with his playboy mask. Finally he couldn't take it any longer.  
  
"Michael, would you stop that NOW!" Bruce said not quiet using "the voice", but close enough to make Michael sit up straight.  
  
"But Bruce you know the Meteors need a QB too, how do you know they aren't going to draft me?" Miller asked.  
  
"Because we already made it clear that you only want to play for us." Wayne answered getting flustered answering the question for the hundredth time in the last 48 hours  
  
Over the TV feed Coach Gibbs proudly walked up to the podium and announced that local hero Michael Miller had been drafted number 5 overall for the Knights after trading Central City for the draft choice.  
  
Michael jumped to his feet with tears in his eyes, "Bruce, I don't know how to thank you. This has always been my dream. I promise I will make sure you never regret this."  
  
"I know I won't Mike, and I want you to know that I'm sure your father would be very proud of you today son." Bruce said with a rare smile of true approval.  
  
Millers father Robert, had played for Gotham for four seasons when Mike was a boy. A good enough blocking Tight End he hoped he would be able to finish out his career there until the deranged killer Two-Face killed him merely for wearing the number 22.  
  
Just then an estatic Dick Grayson busted into the Knights war room, or as the coaching staff in Gotham had come to call it their bat cave, happy to see one of his best friends finally fulfill a life long dream.  
  
"Mike it gets better!" shouted Grayson as soon as he got past the coaches with a polite nod from Bruce, "I just got off the phone with the president of the league and hes willing to let you wear this, holding up a jersey with the name Miller emblazoned on the back and the number 22 on it.  
  
"But I'm a quarter back," Michael said trying to hold back the tears of joy "As much as I want to they would never let me take a number that high"  
  
Bruce smiled again with a slight twinkle in his eyes and said, "I pulled a couple strings, that is, if you want it. You can always stick to the number four if you would prefer."  
  
"Oh no I mean since you went through all this trouble and everything I guess that it's the least I could do is wear it," Michael said not knowing weather to laugh, or cry, or both. "You know boss," smiling at Bruce "This just might be a better present than the Shelby, but I'm not giving that back either."  
  
"Come on guys lets get down there and meet the natives," said Coach Bowder "They won't leave till they see our new star in that uniform" **************************************************************************** *****  
  
As the group walked out the elevator doors they were swarmed by fans and members of the press corps. Security quickly got the mob in order by the time Michael, Bruce and Dick made it up to the podium. Michael pushed the dark brown hair out of his eyes and stood there as they, the crowd, took in the 6ft tall 210lb all American rookie from right across town. His grey eyes beamed as he noticed all the pretty girls and bright lights. He thought to himself this is where I belong. Bruce took the lead by making a short statement before Michael had to talk. He wondered to himself if public speaking was really that hard for Bruce or was it just part of his act. Suddenly Bruce walked away patting Mike on the shoulder and mumbled something along the lines of there all yours son.  
  
"Ummm, I would like to thank you all for coming down here." Michael said a little surprised by all the attention. "I just want to do the best I can for this team and pray that's enough"  
  
"Clark Kent, Daily Planet" said the tall dark haired reporter from Metropolis "I see your wearing the number 22 instead of your regular 4, are you planning on changing positions?"  
  
"No, as kind of a gift Mr. Wayne got special permission from the president so that I could wear my dads old number"  
  
As the cheers died down Michael answered a few more questions then Bruce wrapped up the speech. Michael, Dick and Bruce headed out to the private parking garage where Michael's new baby sat ready for a good shake down.  
  
The brand new Shelby Series 2 roadster was one of the most powerful cars ever to roll off an assembly line and when you take into account the modifications that had been added to it already done by Harold, Batmans trusted mute mechanic, the only thing that could keep up with it was the Batmobile itself. Dick made sure to go through and point out all the new gadgets from the turbo and NOs boosts to the wireless computer behind the CD player.  
  
"Just remember Michael," Bruce said in the harsh whisper of the Bat. "Just because this car can do it doesn't mean you should, you have a lot to loose."  
  
"I remember this one, isn't it a lot like the with your gifts you have greater responsibility speech?" Michael asked just wanting to get out on the highway and open the throttle full bore.  
  
Then he said " Don't do anything stupid, I can and will fire you, don't ever forget that." Before he realized Lucious Fox was coming to talk to him, he smiled that fake smile and added " You go have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do"  
  
When Bruce walked away with Lucious, Michael smiled devilishly at his new ride. "This is the coolest thing I've ever seen Dick." He said still grinning like an idiot. " Now you know he would freak if he knew this, but I got you a little present too," said the former boy wonder flashing his perfect smile "look in the trunk under the spare tire"  
  
Michael did as he was told and found a suit resembling Nightwings with the exception of the blue it was missing. "I figured you might wanna fly again before the season starts and you have to hang up one set of tights for another." Dick joked.  
  
"Dude your the best," Michael said grasping his best friends hand. Michael had trained alongside Dick since Jr. High, not really to be a crime fighter but to train. The acrobatics and strength training Bruce put Michael through all troughs years helped to condition him into the lean muscular man he became. Though he had been on very few missions he always found his way down into the cave to spar along side Gothams greatest heroes.  
  
Michael jumped into the driver seat of the Shelby minding not to peel out the 900 horsepower beast until he cleared the parking lot. Then with a long burnout he said goodbye to Gotham for a weekend he would never forget. **************************************************************************** ***** 


	2. Down Home

Nighthawk Ch. 2 Down Home  
  
Just outside of Gotham, Michael adjusted the radio to his favorite country music station. Favorite because it was the only country station anywhere near Gotham. With George Strait blasting Heartland he slammed the manual transmission into sixth never lifting hit foot off the throttle. The power was unlike anything he'd ever felt. The speedometer read 217, "At this rate ill be down to Georgia by supper time." Michael said to himself. Unlike most young people who just came into more money than most people will ever think of seeing, Michael had no intentions of going out and screwing around. He was headed down to Georgia to see his mother and his long time girl friend Tina.  
  
Few miles down the road he saw a van pulled over on the shoulder. Michael slowed down to ask if the stranded motorist needed any help.  
  
"Hey is everything all right," Michael asked as he jumped over the door of his convertible. The answer was shocking as a mask man pulled a S&W .357 revolver and pointed it at his chest. "Easy now kid if you don't do anything stupid you might just live through this." said the man in the mask. "Look if your looking for some money I left my wallet in the glove box just let me go get it." Michael said trying to pretend to be afraid. He knew he could easily disarm the man, but he wanted to play with him just a little longer. Just then another man appeared behind Miller and growled, "Wallet, keys, and anything else you have that's worth something to me pretty boy."  
  
"My wallet is in my bag in the trunk if you'll let me at least get my clothes out of the car, I'll walk away and no one gets hurt," Miller stammered hoping to give his attackers some hope of accomplishing their mission. The first masked man nodded and told him, "All right, but if you try anything funny were gonna blow your head clean off." The masked man the motioned for his buddy to watch their prey closely.  
  
Michael knew he only had one chance at this as soon as he popped the trunk his hand was already reaching down to the utility belt of the gift that Dick had left him. Finding a couple modified batarangs or "wingdings" and a smoke capsule Miller quickly went to work.  
  
Throwing the smoke capsule first to the ground to hide is actions and hopefully draw some attention on the otherwise deserted highway. Michael quickly through a round house into the jaw of the first unsuspecting thug. He followed up with a reverse punch to the nose and with a satisfying crack of broken bones the man went down for the count.  
  
With a flick of the wrist Michael threw one of the wingdings at the hand of the other attacker forcing him to drop his gun on the ground. Without warning Michael then lept into the air landing a mule kick into the mans midsection forcing him to the ground. "Don't ever threaten to take my car," Michael growled before punching the man in the mouth knocking him unconscious.  
  
Michael went back to the trunk and grab some rope to tie up his attacker. He then laid the unconscious duo in the back seat of their van. As an after thought he opened the hood and removed the distibuter cap and took the rotor. "Just in case they wake up before the police arrive and somehow manage to get untied," Michael laughed to himself. Miller then returned to his Shelby called the police and started back on his way.  
  
Just after 10 o'clock and two speeding tickets later, Michael arrived at the Belle Nova retirement center where his mother had lived and worked for almost 3 years now. Mike had repeatedly tried to convince her that she should come live with him in Gotham, and now that he was rolling in money there was no reason she had to work. "Hi Momma," Michael said his southern drawl coming back almost instantly. "Hi baby," Linda Miller ran over to her only child.  
  
Linda had just turned 50, but didn't look a day over 35 with her long black hair not showing a single sign of grey. Even with all the stress she had gone through in her life wrinkles were at a minimum, and her bright blue eyes and million dollar smile still showed signs of the innocence she held onto with all her might.  
  
"Well Momma, I signed the contract this afternoon before I left, I'm the quarterback for the Gotham Knights!" Michael said bursting with pride. "Look what they did for me too, I mean can you believe it."  
  
"Why does it have to be Gotham Michael, you know the falcons would have taken you, and you would have been closer to me and Tina, by the way, she was here waiting for you till about an hour ago, you oughta go call that girl." Linda said with a slight frown.  
  
She already knew about Michael's new jersey even in a small town like Duck Creek they got ESPN. What she never understood was why a good boy like Michael would ever want to live in a hell hole like Gotham. Every crazy in the country flocked to that God forbidden place. She also knew that he was about to ask her to live with him there again, but she would be damned before she would ever step foot in that town again.  
  
Michael noted the sadness in his mothers eyes, but smiled at her and said, "Momma you know I couldn't play for the falcons, they already have Michael Vick, and I'm not gonna set on a bench for 5 years until he gets himself hurt. And Mr. Wayne said he'd do right by me Momma. I believe him too."  
  
Linda remembered Bruce Wayne as a dumb playboy, but she had to admit that he did go out of his way to take care of Mike and her after Bobby passed on. He was even going to pay for his college until UG gave him a full ride football scholarship.  
  
"Well we can talk about all this later baby, you need to go give that girl of yours a call," Linda said giving her son a quick hug. "And were gonna talk about this here car of yours too."  
  
Michael missed the last part of what she was saying because he was already half way into the house to call his beloved Tina. He quickly dialed her number and waited for her call  
  
"Hi this is Tina Jones, I'm not able to answer the phone right now, but leave a message and all that. If this is Mike I had to run into town for a while and probably wont be back till mornin love ya." her machine told him. He rattled off a response about meeting for breakfast at the Duck Creek cafe the next afternoon.  
  
Since she was already in Atlanta there wouldn't be any harm in running down there to get a little roof time in would there, Michael thought to himself. It was just like Dick said he was going to have to trade in one set of tights for another soon and didn't want to miss what could very well be his last opportunity.  
  
"Momma Tina run off to town and I'm gonna go see if I can find her, ok?, I really have something important that I wanna talk to her about." Michael said as he headed back out the door of his mothers ground floor apartment. That wasn't a total lie he did have something important to ask her. The most important thing a man can ask a woman Michael thought. It amazed him how four simple words could change the course of a mans life.  
  
"Ok baby, I'll go ahead and turn down the sheets for ya anyway," Linda said as she pulled her boy down to give him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
With that Michael was headed for the city hoping to find guns, drugs, gangs, and maybe if he was lucky his Tina.  
  
TBC 


End file.
